ESO Image Feedhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/ESO Image FeedenTue, 26 Sep 2017 17:54:35 +0200A milky arc over Paranalhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-fd/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/potw1411a-cc-fd.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Another clear night at ESO’s <a href="/sci/facilities/paranal/">Paranal Observatory</a> in Chile — perfect for sitting back and taking in the sight of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Many of us living in living in crowded, light-polluted cities no longer get to see our cosmic home in such detail.</p>
<p>We now know this stunning view to be our home galaxy, but the Ancient Greeks thought that it was the work of the Gods. Their legends told that this cloudy streak across the sky was really the breast milk of Hera, wife of Zeus. The Ancient Greeks are also to thank for the name “Milky Way”. The Hellenistic phrase Γαλαξίας κύκλος, pronounced <em>galaxias kyklos</em>, means “milky circle”, and provides the root for our modern name.</p>
<p>This fulldome image was taken by <a href="/public/outreach/partnerships/photo-ambassadors.html">ESO Photo Ambassador</a> Gabriel Brammer. An astronomer visiting Paranal can be seen standing towards the right hand side of this image admiring the view.</p>
<h3>Links</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a/">Equirectangular projected version of this image</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-extended/">Extended to 360 x 180 degrees (with black) version of this image</a></li>
</ul>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:54:35 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-fd/A milky arc over Paranalhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-extended/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/potw1411a-cc-extended.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Another clear night at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile — perfect for sitting back and taking in the sight of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Many of us living in living in crowded, light-polluted cities no longer get to see our cosmic home in such detail. We now know this stunning view to be our home galaxy, but the Ancient Greeks thought that it was the work of the Gods. Their legends told that this cloudy streak across the sky was really the breast milk of Hera, wife of Zeus. The Ancient Greeks are also to thank for the name “Milky Way”. The Hellenistic phrase Γαλαξίας κύκλος, pronounced galaxias kyklos, means “milky circle”, and provides the root for our modern name. This 360 degree panorama image was taken by ESO Photo Ambassador Gabriel Brammer. An astronomer visiting Paranal can be seen standing towards the right hand side of this image admiring the view.</p>
<h3>Links</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a/">Equirectangular projected version of this image</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-fd/">Fisheye version of this image</a></li>
</ul>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:51:10 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1411a-cc-extended/Opening UT1http://www.eso.org/public/images/vlt-inside-2007-hh-cc-extended/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/vlt-inside-2007-hh-cc-extended.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>A 360 degree panorama view taken in 2007 inside the first of the four 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes (UTs) of ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Paranal. Designated Unit Telescope 1, or UT1, and named Antu (“the Sun” in the indigenous Mapuche language), this complex science machine has been in operation at Paranal since 1999. Just before sunset, engineers and technicians open the telescopes, finalising the preparation for the night-time observation run. Although it is not obvious in this image due to the panoramic projection, the UTs are housed in compact buildings thanks to their altazimuth mounting and innovative design. Composed of four 8.2-metre UTs and four 1.8-metre mobile Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs), the ESO VLT is the world's most advanced optical ground-based telescope.</p>
<h3>Links to alternative projections of this image:</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/vlt-inside-2007-hh/">Equirectangular projected version of this image</a></li>
</ul>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:38:39 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/vlt-inside-2007-hh-cc-extended/ANTU in its lairhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/ut1-final-cc-extended/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/ut1-final-cc-extended.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>This rather eccentric image shows one of the Unit Telescopes of ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), inside its protective dome. The VLT consists of four such telescopes, each having a main mirror some 8.2 metres across, accompanied by four smaller, auxiliary, telescopes. Together they amount to one of the most powerful astronomical facilities in the world. Each of the four Unit Telescopes has been given a name from the indigenous Mapuche (Mapudungun) language: this one is called Antu, which means The Sun.</p>
<h3>Links to alternative projections of this image:</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/images/ut1-final/">Equirectangular projected version of this image</a></li>
</ul>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:08:24 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/ut1-final-cc-extended/SUSI2http://www.eso.org/public/images/susi2-cc/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/susi2-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>The SUperb Seeing Instrument (SUSI2) was installed on the 3.5-metre <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/">New Technology Telescope</a> (NTT) at ESO’s <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/">La Silla Observatory</a>. SUSI2 was installed on the Nasmyth A focus in December 1997 and was commissioned in February 1998. SUSI2 was decommissioned in 2008.</p>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:30:59 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/susi2-cc/Tim de Zeeuw's farewell conference group photohttp://www.eso.org/public/images/kh9A9962p-cc2/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/kh9A9962p-cc2.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Group photo of the participants in the conference "Reaching New Heights in Astronomy 2017 — Celebrating ESO's achievements and perspectives from 10 years of Tim de Zeeuw as Director General". The conference took place at the ESO Headquarters in Garching (Germany) from 28–30 August 2017.</p>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:22:19 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/kh9A9962p-cc2/GRAVITY instrumenthttp://www.eso.org/public/images/gravity-cc/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/gravity-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>GRAVITY is a second generation instrument used on the <a href="http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/telescopes/vlti.html">Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI)</a> of the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal/">Very Large Telescope (VLT)</a> at ESO's <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/">Paranal Observatory</a>. The instrument saw first light in 2015.</p>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:19:49 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/gravity-cc/Cover picture of CAP Journal issue 22http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17062a/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/ann17062a.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Cover picture of CAP Journal issue 22.</p>
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17062a/Afiche Ciencia FEST: Sumérgete en el festival oceánicohttp://www.eso.org/public/chile/images/annlocal17005a-es-cl/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/annlocal17005a-es-cl.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Afiche Ciencia FEST: Sumérgete en el festival oceánico</p>
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/chile/images/annlocal17005a-es-cl/Screenshot of ESOcast 128http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17061a/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/ann17061a.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Screenshot of ESOcast 128.</p>
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 16:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17061a/Stars and spiralshttp://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1739a/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/potw1739a.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><span> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>This spectacular </span><span>spiral galaxy, known as NGC 1964, resides approximately 70 million light-years away in the constellation of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepus_(constellation)"><span>Lepus (The Hare)</span></a><span>. NGC 1964 has a bright and dense core. This core sits within a mottled oval disc, which is itself encircled by distinct spiral arms speckled with bright starry regions. The brilliant centre of the galaxy caught the eye of the astronomer </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herschel"><span>William Herschel</span></a><span> on the night of 20 November 1784, leading to the galaxy’s discovery and subsequent documentation in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_General_Catalogue"><span>New General Catalogue</span></a><span>. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In addition to containing stars, NGC 1964 lives in a star-sprinkled section of the sky. In this view from </span><span>the </span><a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/mpg22/wfi/"><span>Wide Field Imager</span></a><span> (WFI) — an instrument mounted on the </span><a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/mpg22/"><span>MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope</span></a><span> at ESO’s La Silla Observatory, Chile — the </span><span>star HD 36785 can be seen to the galaxy’s immediate right. Above it reside two other prominent stars named HD 36784 and TYC 5928-368-1 — and the large bright star below NGC 1964 is known as BD-22 1147. </span></p>
<p><span>This view of NGC 1964 also contains an array of galaxies, visible in the background. </span><span>The WFI is able to observe the light from these distant galaxies, and those up to 40 million times fainter than the human eye can see.</span></p>
<p> </p>
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 06:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1739a/ESO Music Ambassador: Jon Kennedyhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/jon-kennedy/
<img src="https://www.eso.org/public/archives/images/news/jon-kennedy.jpg" border="0" align="left" />
Fri, 22 Sep 2017 12:54:16 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/jon-kennedy/Open House Day 2017http://www.eso.org/public/images/openhouse17_en/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/openhouse17_en.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>On Saturday 21 October 2017, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) will open its doors to the public between 11:00 and 18:00 CEST. This event is part of the Open House Day activities for the whole Garching research campus, and several other local companies.</p>
Thu, 21 Sep 2017 20:21:07 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/openhouse17_en/The star U Ant in the constellation of Antlia (The Air Pump)http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730b/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/eso1730b.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>This chart shows the location of the star U Antliae in the constellation of Antlia (The Air Pump). This very red and variable star can be seen with small binoculars.</p>
Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730b/Wide-field image of the sky around U Antliaehttp://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730c/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/eso1730c.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><span>This image from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 shows the very red carbon star U Antliae and its surroundings.</span></p>
Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730c/Delicate bubble of expelled material around the cool red star U Antliaehttp://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730a/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/eso1730a.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><span><span>This ALMA image reveals much finer structure in the U Antliae shell than has previously been possible. Around 2700 years ago, U Antliae went through a short period of rapid mass loss. During this period of only a few hundred years, the material making up the shell seen in the new ALMA data was ejected at high speed. Examination of this shell in further detail also shows some evidence of thin, wispy clouds known as filamentary substructures. </span></span></p>
Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730a/ALMA view of the motions of material in the shell around U Antliaehttp://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730d/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/eso1730d.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>This image was created from ALMA data on the unusual red carbon star U Antliae and its surrounding shell of material. The colours show the motion of the glowing material in the shell along the line of sight to the Earth. Blue material lies between us and the central star, and is moving towards us. Red material around the edge is moving away from the star, but not towards the Earth.</p>
<p>For clarity this view does not include the material on the far side of the star, which is receding from us in a symmetrical manner.</p>
Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1730d/Participants of GFC 2017http://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-kh9a9836-cc/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/upr-kh9a9836-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Participants of the conference "Early stages of Galaxy Cluster Formation: Mergers, Protoclusters, and Star Formation in Overdense Environments", which took place at the ESO Headquarters in Garching, 17–21 July 2017.</p>
Tue, 19 Sep 2017 15:00:47 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-kh9a9836-cc/Participants of ESO Workshop ImBaSE 2017http://www.eso.org/public/images/045u0752-cc/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/045u0752-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Participants in the workshop "The Impact of Binaries on Stellar Evolution", which took place at the ESO Headquarters in Garching (Germany) from 3–7 July 2017.</p>
Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:37:23 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/045u0752-cc/Bridge to the new building ABChttp://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-img-8016-cc/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/upr-img-8016-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Night view over the bridge to the new building ABC at ESO headquarters.</p>
Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:36:09 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-img-8016-cc/The interior of the building ABChttp://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-img-8031-cc/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/upr-img-8031-cc.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><span class="short_text"><span>The interior of the new building ABC, at ESO Headquarters in Garching.<br /></span></span></p>
Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:34:20 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/upr-img-8031-cc/The NTT and beyondhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1738a/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/potw1738a.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p>Rising up to block part of the star-studded sky, the <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/">New Technology Telescope</a> (NTT) cuts a striking and dramatic figure in this ESO Picture of the Week.</p>
<p>Located at ESO's <a href="http://eso.org/lasilla">La Silla Observatory</a> in the Chilean <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert">Atacama Desert</a>, the NTT was inaugurated in 1989. It was the first ever telescope to have a computer-controlled main mirror. This 3.58-metre mirror is very flexible and its shape can be continuously changed, allowing astronomers to counteract <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_optics">deformations </a>due to external influences such as temperature and mechanical stress mid-observation in order to see the objects as clearly as possible.</p>
<p>Complementing the NTT’s groundbreaking technology is the innovative design of its housing. Its octagonal dome is relatively small and includes a series of flaps that ventilate the structure with reduced turbulence, allowing air to flow smoothly across the mirror. The dome walls can be opened entirely — as opposed to only opening the roof, as with conventional domes — to reveal large swathes of the southern sky.</p>
<p>This image was taken by <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/photo-ambassadors/">ESO Photo Ambassador</a> Babak Tafreshi.</p>
Mon, 18 Sep 2017 06:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1738a/Side view of MATISSE in the labhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17060c/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/ann17060c.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p dir="ltr">In preparation for integration into the <a href="http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/telescopes/vlti.html">Very Large Telescope Interferometer</a> (VLTI) at ESO’s <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/">Paranal Observatory</a>, <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/matisse/">MATISSE</a> (the Multi-AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) went through initial tests at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in France. MATISSE is capable of combining the light from up to four of the VLTI’s Unit Telescopes (UTs) or <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/auxiliarytelescopes/">Auxiliary Telescopes</a> (ATs), offering unique and fascinating observational capabilities.</p>
Fri, 15 Sep 2017 16:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17060c/MATISSE undergoing initial testshttp://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17060b/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/ann17060b.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><span> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr">The <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/matisse/">MATISSE</a> (Multi-AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) instrument at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in France, where it underwent a suite of initial tests. MATISSE is a new spectro-interferometer, part of the second generation of instruments for the <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/technology/interferometry/">Very Large Telescope Interferometer</a> (VLTI) at ESO’s <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/vlt/">Paranal Observatory</a> in Chile.</p>
<div><span><br /></span></div>
<p> </p>
Fri, 15 Sep 2017 16:00:00 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/ann17060b/MATISSE in the labhttp://www.eso.org/public/images/matisse/
<img src="https://cdn.eso.org/images/news/matisse.jpg" border="0" align="left" /><p><a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/matisse/">MATISSE</a> (Multi-AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) in the lab at the Observatoire de la Côote d’Azur in France, where it underwent a suite of initial tests before being transported to Chile for integration into the <a href="http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/telescopes/vlti.html">Very Large Telescope Interferometer</a> (VLTI) at ESO’s <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/">Paranal Observatory</a>. This instrument will offer unique and fascinating observational capabilities. Its high-resolution observations will contribute to answering several fundamental astrophysical questions and will surely lead to unexpected discoveries.</p>
Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:41:35 +0200http://www.eso.org/public/images/matisse/